Brain zaps on a schedule: new trial tests if less frequent rTMS can stop depression relapse

NCT ID NCT06938841

First seen May 03, 2026

Summary

This study tests whether reducing the frequency of rTMS sessions can maintain the antidepressant effect in people with treatment-resistant depression who already responded to daily rTMS. 75 participants will receive either standard maintenance, clustered, or sham rTMS over 6 months. The goal is to see if brain connectivity changes and depression scores stay stable.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Australian National University

    RECRUITING

    Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia

    Contact

    Contact Email: •••••@•••••

  • University of California, San Diego

    RECRUITING

    San Diego, California, 92127, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

  • Weill Cornell Medicine

    RECRUITING

    New York, New York, 10065, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

What this could lead to

If successful, this could provide a practical maintenance schedule for rTMS to keep depression at bay longer, reducing the need for daily treatments.

What could go wrong

This is an early-phase study with only 75 participants, so results may not apply widely. The maintenance effect may be modest, and some people might still relapse.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.